The Trouble With Witches by S. Damsgaard

The Trouble With Witches by Shirley Damsgaard

This random pickup from my mothers paperback collection laying around her house was a good quick read.  The book is the third in the series but can be read independently of the other books without much problem.  This is another in the recent onslaught of books that have a bit of the mysterious/ magical/ other worldly/ or supernatural elements interlaced within the story lines.  

The main characters are Abby and Ophelia who both posses magical abilities that have been passed down through many generations.  The characters are a grandmother/ granddaughter relationship and is fairly typical of the older/ younger female archetypes.  In this particular book, the psychic talents of the family are sought by a reporter that was met in a previous book.  A friend's daughter has gone missing and there is a fear that she has been abducted by a cult in Minnesota. The love story was hinted at, but not a main part of this particular book so if you are looking for a love story focus on the series as a whole and not on this book on its own.

Generally speaking the plot twist were not contrived or completely obvious which was nice.  You could see the ending coming but it was an easy read that still kept you interested.  Introduced a variety of intriguing characters that were fun to envision and there were some interesting underlying themes, though they were not fully explored. So overall, a good quick read that kept my interest.  Would slot it into my brain candy category as it didn't require a lot of thought or analysis to enjoy.

• Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Avon (August 29, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060793589
• ISBN-13: 978-0060793586
• Product Dimensions: 0.8 x 4.2 x 6.7 inches

If The Shoe Fits by S. Rowe

If The Shoe Fits By Stephanie Rowe is a light book that falls in my category of "Brain Candy."   This is a light quick read that has a fairly decent plot line that keeps a reader interested.   While not overly complicated, a bit formulaic, with a predictable resolution; it does offer a nice development that is just fun to read.  Admittedly probably more of a "chick lit" book, the idea of shoe development was interesting and an area I had not read much about.   The character development was decent and allowed a reader connection to them.  What I enjoyed most about the book was the way the author captured the second guessing, unsure mind of the main character, Paris Jackson.  Faced with a host of decisions and few easy answers, the author nails the inner dialogue that many people have that often lead to moments of inaction when action would solve so many problems.   A great summer escape read.

Product Details

• ISBN-13: 9780843955613
• Publisher: Dorchester Publishing Company, Inc.
• Publication date: 8/30/2005